Peoria is really a beautiful little city. When we saw Aneesha & Kirk’s high style wedding from our friends at Cathy and David Photographers, we were in love. Ballroom glamour, voluminous white and orchid green florals, and the bride’s shoes…a Midwest wedding that is simply to die for! And it’s the meaning behind all the design choices that won us over so completely—we admit, there were tears! Read on for all the sweet stories—love this wedding!
“Our wedding date was Saturday, June 19th. It was a very hot, sunny day in downtown Peoria, Illinois. My bridesmaids, our moms and I started getting ready mid-morning. My bridesmaids were kind enough to get me a wedding day cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee before the preparations—my favorite! So sweet and much needed! Now, while we were busy getting ready, Kirk and his groomsmen didn’t get started until 30 minutes before the wedding. That is, except for Roger, his groomsman, who came down to hang out before the wedding fully dressed in his tux hours before the ceremony. We still laugh about it!”
“Our wedding was held at the historic Hotel Père Marquette in downtown Peoria. We chose the Père Marquette for its lovely ballrooms with their classic arches, grand chandeliers, and old world charm. The spaces are truly beautiful. Our ceremony began at 4 pm and lasted for about an hour. We got on a party bus, (yes, a party bus!) with our entire bridal party and immediate families and took photos around downtown Peoria, and on the Bradley University campus, where we met our junior year of college. The entire bridal party stuck out the heat without one complaint—wonderful friends! We took the majority of our photos outdoors after the ceremony while our guests enjoyed a cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the Père Marquette. We returned to start the reception around 7 pm. There was dinner, toasts, and lots of dancing, keeping the party going until well past midnight. We were determined to enjoy our day from start to finish! All in all, due to our fabulous vendors, the day went according to schedule. We couldn’t have asked for better!”
“I absolutely loved my dress by Justin Alexander. It was pure silk, with touches of beading in all the right places. The dress initially didn’t have any embellishment on the bottom, but the bridal salon was able to order more of the embellishment and add some more to the bottom and train of the dress. I had always thought that I would have had a full skirted dress, but absolutely loved the trumpet silhouette once I tried it on.”
“Another special piece was a beautiful ring my mother gave me as my ’something blue’ to wear on the wedding day. It’s my birthstone, surrounded by chocolate diamonds. I often wear my wedding/engagement rings on my left hand, and the ring my mother gave me ring on my right. My wedding ring is for my life with Kirk to come, and the ring on my right is to always remind me of my family, and where I came from.”
“I’m a shoe girl, so I went with these gorgeous shoes from Badgley Mischka that look like they were adorned with rose petals. I was also able to find a lovely clutch with a petal-like feel. Tania from Custom Hair Lounge drove down from Chicago to do my hair and makeup, as well as my bridesmaids’ hair. She’s my regular stylist in Chicago, as well as Kirk’s, so we were so happy that she could come down for the wedding. She did a lovely job on my hair and makeup, I still felt like ‘me,’ just kicked up a notch, and I loved the way she styled my bridesmaids’ hair. Tania also surprised Kirk by giving him a quick haircut before the wedding—she mentioned it’s a tradition of hers, to ensure the groom is looking his best on the big day.”
“My bridesmaids vary in height and skin color, and we wanted to choose a dress that they all felt beautiful in. The jewel-toned hue from Alfred Angelo looked gorgeous on everyone, along with the simple detailing at the bust and floor length skirt. The groom and groomsmen wore Joseph Abboud tuxedos from Formally Modern in the Chicago area. The staff at Formally Modern was wonderful to work with. We were really impressed by their quality, fit, and service.”
“Our officiant was Rhonda Washer, and she was great to work with. She really got to know us as a couple and helped us personalize our ceremony. She made our ceremony very spiritual and inclusive. The River City String Quartet performed at the ceremony. They were kind enough to play classical as well as more modern songs such as ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ when I walked down the aisle and ‘Beautiful Day’ as we walked out after the ceremony. They were even able to perform a Sigur-Ros song called ‘Hoppippolla,’ which isn’t very well known. The quartet added such emotion to the ceremony and the day. I’m really glad we went with them for our ceremony. When I walked down the aisle toward Kirk, the music filling the space and all the family and friends so happy for us, it was overwhelming. It was so meaningful to have both of my parents walk me down the aisle. It was a moment I will never forget.”
“I came across Cathy and David when I was looking for wedding photographers in Chicago, and saw photos on their blog. I fell in love with their candid style. They captured everything, from the smallest details to beautiful, emotional moments. I spoke with them many times leading up to the wedding, and even though I met them for the first time on our wedding day, I wasn’t the least bit nervous around them. They made me feel so comfortable, and, on the day of, they were absolutely fantastic. They really seemed to capture the moments as they occurred in real life. They have a way of seeing the beauty in places most people would think of as ordinary, such as the large dock they photographed our bridal party on, and bring out that beauty in their photos. We are thrilled with the way the photos look, and, on top of it, the two of them are awesome to work with.”
More from Aneesha & Kirk’s gorgeous Peoria day to come! The lovely petal theme continues…sigh! Isn’t this what weddings are all about? Beautiful!
